I think we all know where I stand on this issue, pretty sure the answer is a big fat NO. Being fat is not always a choice. We do have control of our lifestyle which can absolutely affect weight on a daily basis, however, to suggest that genetics plays only a minor role is seriously a bunch of crap. Period. The author of the article, “Confessions of a Chubster – The moral crusade on fatties” states, “Being fat is a choice. Genetics plays a role, sure. So does your upbringing. But you do not get fat unless you’re eating more than you need to nourish your body. That’s basic science.” http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-18663-confessions_of_a_chu.html

Basic science in his case obviously provided him without the metabolic challenge that many people, including myself, deal with every day. He says you do not get fat unless you are eating more than you need to. Again, a bunch of crap. I hate to repeat myself but we all know someone who can put away food like there is no tomorrow and stay fit and lean while others who even just think about a pint of Ben & Jerry’s gain 5 pounds. That is just the way it is and, yes, it is science. To put it simply, those people were not born with the wonderfully nondiscriminatory fat gene!!!

He mentions upbringing as contributory but does not elaborate whether he was a chubby kid or not. Back in the years when I was a kid in the 60’s to 70’s, my diet was controlled by what my mother cooked and school lunches. I was always a fat kid. Was I overeating?? No. We did not have an abundance of snacks in house like candy, chips, or other junk food. If we wanted an evening snack it usually would consist of saltines with peanut butter or fruit. Ice cream was a real treat, and certainly not daily consumption, and eating out was a rare occasion. We were not allowed soda with our meals and to really bring home my point, I am from a household where you literally drank juice in a “juice glass” for the portion size. See where I am going with this??

Kudos to the author for losing 100 pounds in 8 months! It once again just reiterates my point that everyone is different and what will work for one may not work for another. I am sure more will agree with me that his success is what is so deftly phrased as “Results not typical.”

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

My mother to this day will tell you that I was not fat growing up. There are pictures in my book that prove otherwise…Oh the love of a mother. Fat gene or skinny gene…it’s a roll of the genetic dice that I lost. I believe that it was my mother’s point of view that inevitably gave me mine. I have a very good friend that has struggled with her weight since childhood too but she has told me before how her mother would make negative comments about her weight rather than being supportive. I think she has bitter feelings about being fat directly related to this. I know that given the opportunity to be left alone with little Johnny who did not pick her for the kickball team in the fifth grade – because she was the “fat kid” – it could get a little messy….and not for her. My mother never harped at me about my weight or told me I was fat. According to her I was just “big-boned.” To me I was fat. Today I am fat. I am not angry about, mad at anybody because of it, and know that there are reasons for it but also know that even as I lose weight I will never be skinny. And I do not want to be skinny. I was not born to be a skinny chick even if my doctor tells me that at my height of 5’6” and large frame I should weigh something like 130. Sorry, that is never going to happen – it is a physical improbability!

In Making Light of Being Heavy there are pictures of me at around 170 my senior year in high school. I had dieted like mad to get into a dress that I bought for senior prom and I was “skinny.” I can remember my dad coming up beside me at the dinner table one night pointing out my shoulder bone and hip bone and telling me to stop with the dieting. But according to the weight guidelines I was obese!

People should find a comfortable weight for them and consider that their weight guideline and just smile politely at their doctor who whips out the chart that says otherwise. A person’s main focus should be that they are healthy. I may be fat but I am healthy. People will ask how that is possible… if I am fat I must automatically be unhealthy. I am 44 and even though I am considered in the medical field “obese,” I do not have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, varicose veins, joint problems, etc. Am I just lucky?

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

First let me intro this with a little history. Many may recall the show The Love Boat back in the 1980’s. I loved that show! I still remember the song – “…The Love Boat soon will be making another run, The Love Boat promises something for everyone, set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance…” I used to daydream about being on a cruise ship and going to exciting places and having fun all night dancing and going to the shows.

I couldn’t wait until the day I could go on a cruise myself and the day did finally come a couple of years after my son was born. We were going on a five-day Carnival cruise stopping in Key West and Cozumel. I was so excited. It was everything I had imagined and even better with yummy drinks, great entertainment, and food everywhere – that is until I went to use the shower. Now I understand that they design these ships for maximum capacity and that is all good unless you are a little heavier than the average cruiser. I was attempting to take a shower in my luxurious shower stall, which seriously didn’t appear to be more than a foot wide, when it seemed like there was a problem with the water. It kept going on and off, on and off. I was starting to get a little irritated until I realized that with every move I made because it was such a tight fit I kept hitting the knob and turning the water on and off! I still laugh when I think about it!

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

I recently came across this Australian article, “Graphic advertisements showing damaged vital organs or people drinking liquefied body fat should be used to shock Victorians into giving up junk food and sugary soft drinks, health groups have proposed. The Australian Medical Association says campaigns promoting healthy eating habits and exercise have failed to curb the obesity epidemic and shock tactics are now needed.”

“They want a campaign modeled on recent New York City health department ads, which showed a man drinking a beaker full of body fat, and shoveling down 16 sachets of sugar.”

Yeah, I think that will work!! Not. This is another example of the general mentality that anyone who is “obese” is just kicking back on the couch stuffing their face with Oreos, pizza, cheese curls, and intravenous soda. They are comparing this to the anti-smoking commercials which show body organs that are damaged from smoking. The one factual difference is that obesity is not always directly related to food intake whereas damage from smoking is directly related to the act of smoking. Period.

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Making Light of Being Heavy was inspired by my daily life as a fat chick. Specifically, one summer day a friend and I were in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, with our kids just walking along the sidewalk when this young athletic guy driving a pedicab (a ride that is driven by a person on a bike) pulls along side us waiting for a light. I looked over at him and asked him with a smile, “Hey cutie, what’s the weight limit on that ride?” Now both my friend and I topped out at over 300 pounds each so you can just imagine what this 160-pound guy must be thinking! He looked at us as though he was trying to come up with a “safe” figure to not hurt our feelings and with a confident grin said “500 pounds.” I jokingly laughed with my friend and said that we wouldn’t be getting a ride on that anytime soon!

As we were walking away, my friend commented on how cool it would be to write a book about the funny side of being fat. Now, of course, this is all perception but I have always had a great sense of humor and I started recalling incidents in the past that I laughed about, specifically regarding my weight. When I started writing Making Light of Being Heavy and adding my perspective, I realized that this might actually help some women to have a different outlook on their struggles with weight as being fat is already hard enough with all the negativity that comes along with it. One of my friends read my rough draft and commented that it was a great self-esteem booster and how it also provided a lot of insight into the life of a fat chick that she was not expecting. It made me feel good to know that if I could just get this book out there, it might actually help some women. So then it began – my goal to get the book published.

This book may be a quick read, but with a little bit of humor and a lot of realty it sure does pack a punch!

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

According to my pocket Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of willpower is “energetic determination.” I do believe that the word energetic is a tad bit misleading…When dieting we all know it takes willpower in order to be successful but who goes skipping and dancing around their house like the Energizer diet bunny all happy that they are yet on another diet?

I have started the Scarsdale Diet at least three times lately and I will do great for a few days but then all of a sudden I don’t know what happens…Well, one night I went out with friends and drank and was merry and perhaps had one too many Kamikaze shots or maybe it was the late night popcorn snacking and plate of eggs and toast that went along with it….I got right back on my diet the next day but apparently the damage was done because my steady weight loss for the week came to an complete stop for the next four days. This sucks. But did I have fun? Yes. Do I regret messing up my diet? No.

Monday is only a couple of days away and back on I go with a smile on my face and that energetic determination in my step.

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Anyone who has been following my blog or has read my book knows that I am a firm believer in the fat gene, and that yes I have it. “We know that genetics plays the dominant role in determining body mass index,” says Arya Sharma, one of the country’s foremost obesity researchers at the University of Alberta.

“Exercise will not help everyone lose weight,” Dr. Sharma says. Although slimming down is just one of many reasons to exercise, he notes that “the more genetically predisposed you are to gaining weight, the more effort it’s going to take to override those genes.” Did he just say what I thought he said?? Exercise will not help everyone lose weight…

“But before anyone concludes that diet and exercise are futile weapons in the war on weight, researchers have also found that the simple eat-less, move-more strategy can overcome the known genetic susceptibilities for excess weight. Some people just have to move much, much more and eat far, far less to see results.”

Move much, much more and eat far, far less….and this will offset the fat gene. Okay, show of hands of how many people want to exercise three to four hours a day and have a balanced diet of rabbit food in order to actually offset this dang gene?

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂 Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!